Thousands of Elvis fans mark 30th anniversary of his death

Thursday

Aug 16, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 16, 2007 at 6:43 AM

By WOODY BAIRDAssociated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Temperatures hit 105 degrees as thousands of Elvis Presley fans held a graveside procession at his Graceland mansion Wednesday to remember the 30th anniversary of his death on Aug. 16, 1977.The heat led to the death of a fan from New Jersey, a 67-year-old woman, and sent an 8-year-old boy to the hospital. At least five other fans were treated for heat exhaustion as they waited for the "candlelight vigil" to begin at 8:30 p.m. the Memphis Fire Department said. The elderly woman was found dead in a camping trailer at a Graceland campground.She had chronic health problems, but the Shelby County Medical Examiner's Office said the heat contributed to her death.Despite the promise of the sixth furnace-like day in a row in Memphis, the more hardy fans began lining up for the vigil early in the morning, with the crowd building through the day until thousands filled four-lane Elvis Presley Boulevard in front of Graceland.The procession was expected to run through the night and into today, the death anniversary.The procession, with fans walking mostly single-file and holding candles, filed up Graceland's long winding driveway and past Presley's grave in a small garden beside the white-columned house.Many fans carried flowers, stuffed animals and other small gifts to leave at the grave.Tom Vigil, 42, of Denver was determined not to let the heat stop him even though he was missing part of a lung from recent surgery.Decked out in a black Elvis-type jumpsuit, Vigil pulled an oxygen tank behind him with a breathing tube attached to his nose."I'm not in the best of health, but I wanted to be out here and be part of this," he said.Vigil said the oxygen in the tank could last up to seven hours. "And I've got two more tanks in the car," he said.Mary Powell, 62, of Salinas, Kan., said she took up her post at Graceland's front gates at 5 a.m. to be sure to get near the front of the line for the vigil."A lot of people would say I'm crazy, but this has to do with my love for Elvis. He did so much for his fans," Powell said.Powell and dozens of other early arrivers set up folding chairs and yard umbrellas and took turns holding each other's places in line to allow periodic breaks to Graceland's air-conditioned visitors center and souvenir shops."We're not stupid. We know we should take our time-outs and go cool down," she said before the vigil. "We take care of ourselves."Temperatures in Memphis have topped 100 degrees for six days straight and the National Weather Service has advised residents to limit outdoor activities. Seven deaths in the Memphis area have been linked to the heat wave.The vigil is the most popular and solemn anniversary event in a weeklong string of concerts, dances, tribute artist contests and other festivities put on by Graceland.No one keeps exact figures, but the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the anniversary would bring up to 75,000 to town during the week.Graceland draws almost 600,000 visitors a year and up to 40,000 file through the three-story white-columned house during Elvis Tribute Week.Fans preparing for the vigil filled the souvenir shops of Graceland's sprawling tourist complex. Elvis impersonators, with karaoke accompaniment, put on a daylong show for fans packed into a large tent in a shopping center parking lot.Workers from a Memphis hospital passed out free bottles of water and fans lining up for the vigil could take breaks to stand for a few moments in a misting tent dubbed "Kentucky Rain" after one of Presley's songs.When Presley died his finances were in sad shape. Led by ex-wife Priscilla Presley, the estate formed Elvis Presley Enterprises, opened Graceland to the public in 1982 and solidified the legal rights to make money on Elvis' name and image.Last year, Graceland took in $27 million in revenue, and the overall Elvis business brings in more than $40 million a year. That made him the second-highest grossing dead celebrity in 2006, behind only Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, according to Forbes magazine.

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